Philly-based heavy rockers Hound have an Oct. 20 release show booked for their new album, Born Under 76, which is due out accordingly via SRA Records on CD and Let’s Pretend Records on vinyl. On whichever format one might choose to engage it, it’s the third Hound full-length behind 2015’s sleeper hit Out of Space (review here), and while hearing the crisp three-minute delivery of the hook and subtle organ inclusion in “Aqualamb,” one might be tempted to relate Hound to some vision of Monster Magnet channeled through Mos Generator‘s penchant for straightforwardness of craft, the greater impression of Born Under 76 overall stems from cuts like opener “Born Under a Blacklight,” “Death Lends a Hand,” “Best Wishes,” “Two Horns,” “Bad One” and closer “Any Day Now,” which strip down the presentation overall from the debut in favor of a more charging, punkish tack. These influences were certainly present on Out of Space as well, but in tone and rhythm, the balance brings them forward even more so that even as second track “Eyes in the Dark” nestles into a comfortable tempo, it does so tonally informed by punk rock traditionalism, and the returning three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Perry Shall, bassist Pat Hickey and drummer Chris Wilson (also Ted Leo and the Pharmacists), make the most of that just as much in the swagger of the Thin Lizzy-esque “Suitable for Framing” as in the later fuzz rollout of “That’s a Famous Feeling.”

An underscore of noise rock or heavier tone balanced against punker intent and some measure of classic heavy rock influence? Sounds like the wheelhouse of producer J. Robbins (Clutch, Jawbreaker, Murder by Death, Coliseum, etc.), who would seem to have been the perfect choice to helm Born Under 76 if the transition between “Two Horns” and “Bad One” and the momentum the record builds in general is anything to go by. The balance of sonic naturalism and impact across Hound‘s 12-track/40-minute run — whether it’s the lumbering swing of the penultimate “Welcome to the Land of Bad Magic” or the midtempo chorus-leaning of “Demon Eyes” setting up the thrust and channel-panning lead of “Best Wishes” in the album’s midsection — serves as one of the LP’s most effective assets, and it’s what allows that momentum to be maintained despite some rather striking shifts in approach on a per-track basis, as when the ultra-catchy “Aqualamb” and “Suitable for Framing” boogie and big-rock-finish their way into the oncoming train that is “Death Lends a Hand,” or when the later charge of “Welcome to the Land of Bad Magic” winds its way to a sudden stop before the piano-inclusive blues intro of “Any Day Now” sets up its own spring-loaded-snake-in-the-can-of-peanuts with the song’s final push. This, like what precedes, is a transition as fluid as it wants to be, and indeed it ends up being some of these contrasts that makes Born Under 76 such a fun listen. As the material is drawn together by the quality of its songwriting, Hound are free to explore a greater divide of influences and still maintain their hold on their audience’s attention.

That sense of command is fitting for a band on their third album, Hound having made their debut with 2014’s Out of Time, but as Born Under 76 steps away from the apparent thematic modus of record titles — out of the Out of…, if you will — so too does it seem to present the strongest case for the three-piece as being somewhat underrated as well. As Philadelphia has taken shape in recent years as a hotbed of heavy rock and psychedelia on the East Coast — bands like Ruby the Hatchet, Ecstatic Vision, etc. — one can only wonder what it might take to bring Hound more to light in that emergent set, since they seem so much to be earning their place in these tracks.

Once again, Born Under 76 is out Oct. 20. Today I have the pleasure of hosting “Suitable for Framing” as a track premiere. You’ll find it below, followed by some words from Shall about the track and more background from the PR wire.

Please enjoy:

Perry Shall on “Suitable for Framing”:

“We recorded this record with J. Robbins at the Magpie Cage in Baltimore. It was such an honor to work with someone who we consider a legend and now a good friend. He knew how to find the perfect balance between the punk aspect of our music along with a big rock sound and somehow make it work in perfect harmony.”

When a thunderclap met a tornado, Hound was born in the Philly dark, bred off primal energy, and unleashed without warning. If 2015’s Out of Space orbited around murky prog textures and metal snarls, its forthcoming follow-up Born Under 76 gets soaked in the swamp between punk and hard rock. Whether that winning concoction is the sum of Hound’s ragtag parts – featuring Chris Wilson (Ted Leo and the Pharmacists) on drums, Perry Shall on guitar/vocals, and Pat Hickey on bass – or the LP’s dances with the devil, it’s obvious something burbles under the streets of Philadelphia. It’s sinister yet familiar, and bites with its own maniacal energy. But don’t worry – it’s delivered with a smile. Hound is back, and they’re armed with a dozen reasons to answer their howl. Maybe they’ll bring one out of you, too.

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I put up a podcast last year on the day before Thanksgiving as well. At least I’m consistent. In the US, today is the biggest travel day of the year, and I continue to feel like there are few things better in this universe than hitting the road accompanied by good music. Whether you’re driving alone on your way to see family for the holiday, commuting to work (that one doesn’t necessarily have to be by car, I suppose), going to stand on line for some silly discount item or whatever it might be, I hope you find something here you consider worth bringing along for the trip.

The holidays are always a pretty stressful time — when isn’t? — so once it gets past the initial burst of heft from Tombstones, this one stays pretty mellow for the most part. Deville and Kind rock pretty hard, but once it moves into the Dirty Streets and Old Man Lizard and so on, it’s more nod than headbang, which is accurate to where my brain is at. Looking for something chill in the face of miles to cover and meals to consume. If you’re in the US, a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and if not, I hope you enjoy just the same.

Track details follow:

First Hour:
0:00:00 Isaak, “Fountainhead” from Sermonize
0:03:58 Tombstones, “Pyre of the Cloth” from Vargariis
0:13:30 Hound, “Over the Edge,” from Out of Space
0:17:44 Deville, “Mind on Hold” from Make it Belong to Us
0:21:17 Kind, “German for Lucy” from Rocket Science
0:28:26 Dirty Streets, “Save Me” from White Horse
0:31:55 Old Man Lizard, “Craniopagus Paraciticus” from Old Man Lizard
0:40:43 Across Tundras, “No Roads in any Direction” from Home Free
0:46:52 Niche, “On Down the Line” from Heading East
0:52:11 Wired Mind, “Road” from Mindstate: Dreamscape

Second Hour:
1:03:07 Seedy Jeezus, “Echoes in the Sky” from Echoes in the Sky
1:19:03 Dorre, “One Collapsed at the Altar” from One Collapsed at the Altar

“Over the Edge” is the closing track on Hound‘s sophomore full-length, Out of Space. The Philadelphia natives’ second album is set to release Nov. 27 on SRA Records, and while “Over the Edge” doesn’t exactly capture its entire breadth, it’s righteous enough to stand in for the whole and definitely placed last for the broader impression it leaves of what the trio do. As to that itself, their methods vary some over Out of Space‘s nine inclusions, which are quick to show off their punker roots on opener “Emotional Collapse” and the subsequent “Mortality Jam” — which kicks off a five-song sequence of cuts under three minutes long — but the three-piece remain steeped in raw, heavy rock and roll throughout, calling to mind a similar creative trajectory as some of Small Stone‘s roster over the last decade, bands like Suplecs and Roadsaw, whose roots in more aggressive fare one way or another have led them to weighted grooves and a more riff-happy modus operandi.

Comprised of guitarist/vocalist Perry Shall, bassist Patrick Hickey and drummer Chris Wilson (also Ted Leo and the Pharmacists), Hound‘s style feels deceptively straightforward superficially, but the more one digs into the album and uncovers the organ buried in the mix of “Intro” and “Cold Blooded,” which follows — it’s worth noting that “Intro” is actually the longer of the two — and the plays of tempo that occur between the later “Super Junkie of Being…” and “Walking Curse,” the more complex Out of Space shows itself to be. Shall, Hickey and Wilson have that rawness at their core, but their second LP finds them in the process of building on top of that stylistically and to engaging effect. A strong undercurrent of ’90s alt hard rock shows itself in “Walkin’ the Fine Line,” but there’s a more modern heaviness to it, as well as a bit of shuffle, that bring it into the all-encompassing context of the heavy ’10s. And when it comes around, “Over the Edge” arrives as a pure moment of riff hedonism, a chugging, crawling, slow-motion nod that Shall buries his voice beneath to make it sound even huger, not that it was hurting anyway.

It’s not trying to change the world, it’s not trying to fix something stylistically that isn’t broken, “Over the Edge” is just tilting its figurative head back and riffing out, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need most. I’m thrilled today to be hosting the track for its streaming premiere, and hope that you get as much of a kick out of it as I have. Please find it on the player below, followed by some comment from Shall on “Over the Edge” and more info on the album from the PR wire.

Enjoy:

Perry Shall on “Over the Edge”:

“Over the Edge’ is a song I wrote and recorded a demo of two years before some insane people thought the world was supposed to end (in 2012). The final version you’re hearing is exactly what I wanted it to end up sounding like. Long, droney, stream of conscious type of feeling.”

Philadelphia underground rock band HOUND will release its new album Out of Space on November 27 via SRA Records. The power trio — guitarist / vocalist Perry Shall, drummer Chris Wilson (also of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists) and bassist Patrick Hickey — whose sound has been described as “just the right combination of attack and restraint” recorded the album at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, PA (Title Fight, Braid). Out of Space is the follow up to HOUND’s 2014 debut, Out of Time.

HOUND will throw a Philadelphia album release party for Out of Space on November 27 at Everybody Hits. Special guests include The Kominas and Dangerbird. For full details,visit this location.

Out of Space follows Hound‘s 2014 debut, Out of Time, so yeah, it would seem the Philly heavy rockers are working on a theme. Fair enough. SRA Records is handling the new album, and to herald its arrival, in addition to a release show Nov. 27, Hound will play two gigs Nov. 20 and 21. The first, as one might expect, is in their hometown. Underground Arts is the venue. The second is a bit more of a surprise, as it seems they’ll hoof it down to New Orleans on Nov. 21 to play The Howlin’ Wolf. That’s a hell of a trip to make in a day.

I mean, I guess it’s possible even if they’re not flying. The Googles says it’s an 18-hour drive from one venue to the other, and technically that’s less than a full day’s 24 hours, but not an easy trip by car. Very rock and roll, either way. Sounds like crazy fun.

Haven’t seen any audio come out from Out of Space yet, but you can stream Out of Time on the Bandcamp player under the PR wire whathaveyou below:

HOUND to Release New Album ‘Out of Space’ November 27

Philly Hard Rock Dogs Hammer Home the Heavy on Beastly New LP

Philadelphia underground rock band HOUND will release its new album Out of Space on November 27 via SRA Records. The power trio — guitarist / vocalist Perry Shall, drummer Chris Wilson (also of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists) and bassist Patrick Hickey — whose sound has been described as “just the right combination of attack and restraint” recorded the album at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, PA (Title Fight, Braid). Out of Space is the follow up to HOUND’s 2014 debut, Out of Time.

“To me, ‘Out of Space’ is like, if Motörhead’s Stiff Records-era songs were written by someone who was stuck living in Philadelphia their whole life,” says Shall. “The record channels hard rock influenced by the ideas of time and space. Space being Philadelphia”

Led by Shall (a visual artist who’s done album covers for JEFF the Brotherhood and Diarrhea Planet and made videos for Tweens and Pujol among others), HOUND is a band that understands the deadeningly powerful effect of hammering down the riff. Reaching into heavy psychedelic blues and blasting it into the 21st century, the group mates metallic heft with punk’s economy and tempo in a coupling that evokes the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. On Out of Space, HOUND sweeps aside the glossy metal of the moment with waves of gritty fuzz, pushing swirling volume through battered amps. Admirers of vintage rock ‘n’ roll won’t be disappointed.

HOUND will throw a Philadelphia album release party for Out of Space on November 27 at Everybody Hits. Special guests include The Kominas and Dangerbird. For full details,visit this location.